ODS TECHNOLOGY - EXCLUSIVE IN 6D

6D’s revolutionary patented Omni-Directional Suspension (ODS) embodies a fully active,
in-helmet suspension and kinetic energy management system. The goal was simple; design a helmet that reduces energy transfer to the brain over a much broader range of energy demands,including LOW, MID and HIGH-VELOCITY impacts for both linear and angular accelerations.

6D’s suspended multi-liner assembly will compress and shear omni-directionally when subjected to impact. This capability provides significantly improved time management performance against both linear and angular acceleration energy demands. There is simply no other helmet technology that can provide these combined energy management benefits.

ELASTOMERIC ISOLATION DAMPER
This damper is the heart and soul of 6D’s exclusive ODS technology. An array of 27 dampers work in unison to isolate impact energy from your brain. The elastic properties of the dampers, combined with their unique ‘hourglass’ shape
provide a progressive spring rate that manages low and mid-threshold accelerations, while simultaneously allowing the inner EPS liner to shear in 3-dimensional space within itself. This omni-directional suspension capability provides ‘six degrees of freedom’, which became the inspiration for our company name; ‘6D.’

INDEPENDENT LABORATORY TESTING
The exceptional test results in this catalog are the actual test data generated from hours of testing the 6D ATR-1 helmet against current model SNELL, ECE and DOT certified helmets in a fully-independent, third-party laboratory testing facility; Dynamic Research, located in Torrance, California. Dynamic Research is recognized as a leader in helmet testing and evaluation, and is a pioneer in measuring and evaluating angular acceleration energy.

This testing confirms that ODS significantly reduces energy transferred to the head form during impact. This reduction may reduce the likelihood of a concussion or brain injury over a traditional helmet design. The 6D ATR-1 is certified to exceed US DOT FMVSS 218 (United States), ECE 22.05 (47 Countries World-Wide), AS 1698 (Australia) and ACU (United Kingdom).

IT’S ALL ABOUT TIME

Time to peak (TTP) is the measurement of time (in milliseconds) it takes the energy of an impact to reach the maximum (peak) G force. Deceleration time is the single most beneficial component of reducing the severity and magnitude of any impact. The more time, the less severe the energy transfer will become. 6D’s proprietary ODS technology buys time, in fact more than doubles the TTP in most impacts below 6 m/sec! The really cool news here is the significant reduction in energy transfer that comes simply with time.

The graph* above reflects the ‘Time to Peak’ acceleration of competitive helmets in the category. The 6D ATB-1 provides more than double the time compared to the average of the set, and 2.5 times more time than the worst performer. It’s all about time.*Tme To Peak (TTP) Accelerations during incline anvil testing at 3m/sec, Front

LOW-THRESHOLD ENERGY (LOW-VELOCITY IMPACTS)

Recent medical research has provided alarming conclusions surrounding the causes, severity, and long-term effects of concussions. We now know that even seemingly minor concussions (‘I’m fine, I just rang my bell’) may have much more serious effects on the long-term health and well-being of one’s brain. It’s well documented that concussions can occur from impacts in the lower range of 60 G’s** in adult males and may be location dependent. This value is even less in women and children.

To meet high certification test velocities, conventional helmets are simply too stiff to effectively absorb energy from impacts at lower impact velocities. The vast majority of impacts in ‘real world’ crashes are what we qualify as ‘low-threshold energy’ impacts well below the pass/fail certification velocities, but at or above the velocity necessary to sustain a concussion or brain injury. In this critical area of energy management the 6D helmet pays huge benefits when compared to traditional helmet designs. 6D’s proprietary ODS starts working the instant any force is applied to the shell, making the helmet much more compliant and progressive on the highest percentage of ‘real world’ crash impacts.
This graph* shows the significant benefits of ODS when compared to competitive helmets in 4m/sec oblique strikes. ODS
more than doubles the TTP of the event (which reduces the severity) and
reduces the linear G-forces.

* Peak Linear Accelerations during incline anvil testing at 4m/sec Forward.
**Research on football player impacts has shown that concussions may occur at 60 G’s. Guskiewicz KM, Mihalik JP, Shankar V, et al. Measurement of head impacts in collegiate football players: relationship between head impact biomechanics and acute clinical outcome after collision. Neurosurgery 2007;61: 1244 –1253.

ANGULAR ACCELERATION ENERGY

Angular acceleration is defined as the rate of change of angular velocity over time. Angular acceleration energy is generated from oblique angle impacts to the helmet surface and is particularly concerning to one’s health and long-term well-being. The medical community agrees that angular acceleration energy is a primary cause of concussion, mild-traumatic brain injury (MTBI), and traumatic brain injury (TBI). These types of injuries occur from oblique impacts to the helmet and are serious. The result of this type of impact, and subsequent energy transfer there from, is shearing, tearing, compression, and rotations of the brain within the skull.

Experiments conducted by David C. Viano, PhD. M.D. at the Bioengineering Center at Wayne State University confirmed that a helmeted head sustained the same degree of angular acceleration as the un-helmeted head when subjected to identical impacts. So, if angular acceleration is a major cause of concussion (or worse), how is the brain protected by traditional helmet design? Unfortunately, in respect to angular acceleration energy, it is not.

The graphs shown here identify how 6D’s proprietary ODS technology dramatically reduces the transfer of angular acceleration energy to the head form, resulting in less likelihood of concussion or brain injury.